H.E. Wamkele Mene, Cynthia E. Gnassingbe - Essonam and Leena Koni
Hoffmann
FREE TRADE AS A DRIVER FOR AFRICA’S ECONOMIC
INTEGRATION?
In cooperation with the Austrian Foundation for Development
Research (ÖFSE) and the Vienna Institute for International
Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC)
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is Africa's most
ambitious economic integration project. The political ambitions
are high: the AfCFTA aims to boost intra-African trade, enable
regional value chains, promote industrialization, and enhance the
continent's position in the global economy. Considerable progress
has been made since the Agreement entered into force in 2019,
particularly in establishing its political, legal and
institutional architecture. However, translating the AfCFTA's
political vision into tangible economic outcomes remains a
complex undertaking. Successful implementation goes beyond tariff
reductions and requires improvements in trade facilitation,
customs procedures, transport and logistics, access to finance,
regulatory cooperation, common standards and productive
capacities. This event will discuss the current state of the
AfCFTA, the challenges of its implementation, and what is needed
to boost investment, industrialization and employment in Africa
while ensuring that the benefits of integration are shared across
countries, regions, businesses and different groups of
population.
Key Note Speech: "The AfCFTA as a driver for trade,
production and employment: strategic considerations"
by
H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the
African Continental Free Trade Area and former South African
Representative at the World Trade Organization
Followed by a panel with:
Cynthia E. Gnassingbe - Essonam, Director for
Private Sector Engagement & Communications, Office of the
Secretary - General, African Continental Free Trade Area
Secretariat
Leena Koni Hoffmann, Associate Fellow in the
Africa Program at Chatham House, UK; member of the International
Council of Transparency International
Moderators:
Miriam Mona Mukalazi leads the Africa
Policy Program at the Vienna Institute for International Dialogue
and Cooperation (VIDC)
Bernhard Tröster, Senior Researcher at the
Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE)
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